Special Ops Affair (4 page)

“She was my friend.”

“It’s too late to protect her, so why don’t you tell me what you think was in that package?”

Lowering her arms, she brushed past him and marched toward the elevators, stabbing the Up button with her forefinger as he came to a stop next to her.

“You do realize how guilty you’re making yourself appear?”

She didn’t look at him. “I didn’t see what was in the package.”

“But you have an idea what was.”

She didn’t answer right away. “I didn’t see enough to tell.” It was true enough.

“You saw something.”

“You guys are all the same. Always asking endless questions and jumping to conclusions.”

“The right conclusions.”

She glowered at him, too aware of his big, fit body.

“Why do you hate men who do special ops so much?”

The elevator doors opened and she stepped inside, ignoring him as she pressed the floor button.

“Cullen told me about your first husband,” he said.

A too-familiar pang gripped her chest. “When did he tell you that?” The doors closed and the elevator began to move.

“After I told him you went to D.C. without me.”

Why had he told Jag that?

“He noticed your odd behavior, too.”

“This has nothing to do with Sage.”

“Sage?”

She used her eyes to warn him not to push her too far.

“I asked him the same question I just asked you.”

“If you already know the answer, why ask me?”

“I wanted to see what you’d say.”

Great, here we go. He was going to pry now. She watched the numbers climb as the elevator rose. “Cullen should learn to keep his mouth shut.”

“It must have been hard, losing him that way.”

“He was shot in the line of duty. Doing what he loved.”

“I can understand why you put such a high wall up for the men you get involved with.”

She faced him. “Look, you don’t know me. And I’m not in the mood to talk about this with you.”

“Not all of them die,” he said anyway.

She folded her arms, feeling a lump of sorrow clog her throat. It had been six years and still she hadn’t gotten past the hurt. The what-ifs…

“No wonder you’re so good at what you do.”

The elevator stopped. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You have a strong sense of purpose. Losing the man you loved. Was he fighting terrorists?”

He followed her into the hall. “You are such a bastard.” Was he deliberately trying to catch her vulnerable or did he wonder if her secret had something to do with her ex?

“What? I’m expressing sympathy.”

“You’re fishing. You’re trying to get me to talk.”

“Why don’t you?”

At her room. She opened the door and stepped inside, meaning to close the door but Jag pushed it open and came into the room, forcing her to back up. He let the door shut.

“Get your own room,” she said.

He looked toward the two queen beds. “This’ll do just fine.”

Just imagining him staying the night was almost frightening. “I’ve told you all I know about what was in the package.” And that was the truth. She didn’t know the man in the photo.

He must have recognized that as he watched her face. His eyes softened with satisfaction, at least for the moment.

“We need to work together on this. Are you going to be able to do that?”

“Of course.” Unless it was related to ELF.

“You’ll share whatever you find?”

“Yes.” Unless it was related to ELF.

“Who did you go see tonight?”

That she could answer. “Kate’s sister.”

“What did she say?”

“Nothing, which doesn’t surprise me. Kate never involved friends and family in her work.”

“How do you know her death was related to her work?”

“I don’t.”

“I thought she was just helping you. You know, on the side as it were, since she already had a good enough job.”

“She was.”

He sighed at her evasiveness. “Will there be someone at her funeral we can talk to?”

“You don’t have to go to her funeral with me.”

He cocked his head at her lame attempt to get him to leave her alone. “It’s no trouble.”

No trouble. Not for him. What was she going to do with him hanging around all the time? Nothing, that’s what. She’d wait for the funeral—see who showed up—and then she’d go from there.

Now her only concern was getting through the next couple of days alone with him.

It was sunny and warm the day of Kate’s funeral. Standing near the casket as the minister finished his eulogy, Odie watched the mourners. She knew Jag was doing the same beside her, tall and big and handsome and way too distracting. He didn’t know these people the way she did, but she didn’t doubt he’d notice things—like the man standing next to Senator Raybourne and his wife and daughter. It had to be Calan Friese. Odie was already suspicious of him. He showed no emotion and yet his long-term girlfriend had just been murdered.

She sneaked a glance at Jag. Yep, he’d noticed. Just as his head started to turn toward her, she faced forward and tried to pay attention to the service.

The past two days had been a challenge. She’d barely managed to maintain her aloofness sharing meals and a room with a man who attracted her against her will. The only thing that saved her was her laptop. She had used the excuse of working to keep her distance. But like the trained operative he was, he’d endured the boredom with style. She’d even caught him amused while he observed her.

The minister approached the senator and his wife. Odie hadn’t seen them in a long time. Luis looked different, still tall but his middle was beginning to protrude and his hair was gray. Alice began crying uncontrollably and he put his arm around her. She wasn’t gray but she probably dyed her hair. Slender and stylish in her long black dress, she looked fabulous. For an older woman, she sure knew how to keep her shape. Mo stood next to them, mouth tight with the effort not to cry. Luis put his other arm around her, a stoic rock of support for his family.

She wondered if he could help her. As a senator, he could have valuable connections. Maybe it would lead to something.

Something linked to Hersch,
a voice taunted in her mind. She felt a disturbing chill run down her back. How deep did this go? Cullen also had connections in the government, and at least one of them had asked him to carry out this mission. But what had triggered the inquiry into Defense Initiatives? Who had tipped off Cullen’s higher-ups to the Albanian company?

She moved her focus again to Friese. Tall and expressionless, he had dark blond hair and wore sunglasses. To hide his lack of tears? He was on the thick side with muscle. No fat. He had all the signs of special ops.

Feeling Jag watching her, she looked up at him. Without even trying to pretend he hadn’t noticed where her gaze had gone, he looked away.

Mourners began to line up to offer their condolences to Kate’s family. It wasn’t easy to watch. Odie waited until the last of them finished before leading Jag there.

“You didn’t tell me Kate’s father was a senator.”

“I thought you already knew.”

“I had to read about it.”

“Poor baby.”

“What else am I going to read about?”

She glanced at him as they approached Luis and his family. “Don’t embarrass me.”

He grunted a laugh. “Is that even possible?”

“Odelia,” Luis said, reaching out his arms. She went into them and they hugged.

“Your mom couldn’t make it?” he asked as he leaned back.

Odie shook her head. “She’s in Egypt right now.”

“She’s still traveling all over the world?”

The reason why gave her a pang of sadness. “Yes, ever since Dad died.” She and her mother had that in common. They’d both lost their husbands. It made for sad reunions, which is why they hadn’t had many in the years since.

Odie hugged Mo. “If there’s anything I can do, just call.”

“Thanks.” Mo braved a small smile before turning to the next mourner.

Odie moved on to Alice. She didn’t even try to say anything to the woman. What words were there for a mother who’d lost a daughter?

“Thank you for coming,” Alice managed to say. It sounded feeble.

“Of course,” Odie said, looking at Luis.

His kind eyes showed how much his grief ravaged him.

“I’m so sorry,” she said to Alice.

“You were close to her, too.”

“Yes.”

“You were her best friend.” Alice dabbed her eyes with a tissue.

Luis’s eyes misted as he watched his wife. When he finally managed to control his emotions, he cleared his throat and turned to Odie again.

“Kate told me you were getting married.” He looked pointedly at Jag, the change in subject pushing the grief from his eyes. “I was sorry I had to miss the wedding.”

He must have been in the Bahamas when her wedding had fallen to disaster and her wedding had been small. He and Alice hadn’t been there. Wait a minute… Did he think…

A flash of astonishment stunned her for a second. He thought she was with Jag…like
that?
“This isn’t my husband.”
Oh, my God.
“This is Jag Benney. He works at TES.”

“Ah. Then he couldn’t be your husband.” He chuckled and turned to Jag. “She has an aversion to special forces types.”

“Yeah, I picked up on that the first time I met her.”

Odie slid a look at him. Had he? Most newbies who walked through TES doors checked her out without holding back. Jag had shown no emotion. It had impressed her, though she’d never tell him that.

“Where is your husband?” Luis asked Odie. “Is he here?” He glanced around.

“I didn’t get married.” She did not want to explain it again. “We canceled.”

“You can add engineers to her list of not eligible,” Jag said, clearly enjoying her stiffening mood.

She bit back a sarcastic retort.

“Well, I’m sorry to hear that, Odie,” Luis said, then again turned to Jag. “I’ve always told her there’s only one kind of man for her, and it’s the kind that Cullen employs. They’re the only ones who have half a chance of standing up to her.”

Jag chuckled, a low, deep sound. “I never thought of it that way, but you’re probably right.” He grinned at Odie.

Damn him.

Seeing Mo and her mother move away from the senator to join a couple and their teenaged daughter, who greeted them in typical funeral-mode fashion, Odie used the appearance of distraction to ignore both of them.

“Well, if you aren’t married to this fellow, why is he here? Are you working?” Luis asked.

“Not at the moment,” Jag said, no longer sounding amused. Clearly their work was a subject he didn’t want broached.

Luis looked at her, a silent question in his eyes. If they weren’t working why was Jag at Kate’s funeral with her? He knew how much losing her husband had hurt her and how she felt about dating operatives.

“Our assignment was waylaid after we heard of Kate’s murder.”

“Ah.” He nodded. “How long will you be in D.C.?”

“I’m not sure. It depends on how long it takes to find Kate’s killer.” If they ever did.

“I went to Langley and asked around,” Luis said.

Odie perked up with interest.

“No one could help. Her death doesn’t appear to be connected to her job.”

No, because it was connected to Hersch…or more precisely, ELF.

“What about her boyfriend?” Odie caught the way Jag turned to look at her. She hadn’t told him about Calan.

Luis nodded. “I wanted to talk to you about that. I checked him out. He doesn’t have a solid alibi the night of Kate’s murder. The police have questioned him and I don’t think they’ve ruled him out as a suspect, but there’s no evidence implicating him. No prints. And no motive, at least, not yet.”

That was essentially what Mo had said. “Did you talk to him?”

“I haven’t had the chance. Here at the funeral…”

Friese had stood right next to him but, yes, it might have gotten ugly at Kate’s funeral if Luis had started asking questions.

“I was going to go see him tomorrow, but now that you’re here…”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“
We’ll
take care of it,” Jag corrected.

Odie wanted to roll her eyes.

Luis chuckled. “You’ll have to get used to Odie’s independence. She’s a little more high-strung than most other women. She likes to do things her way.”

Jag grunted. “Well, I like to do things my way, too, so we have something in common.” He smiled cheekily at her.

Meaning, he’d get his way and stick to her like duct tape.

Luis missed the exchange and said, “I brought you everything I have on him. It’s in my car.”

“Great. That’s wonderful.” A burst of hope encouraged her.

“What have you gotten so far?”

“Not much, I’m afraid.” Careful not to look at Jag, knowing he wouldn’t want her to say anything, she added, “But I did receive a package from Kate a few days ago.”

“Odie,” Jag warned. “The details of this assignment are confidential,” he told Luis.

“Your assignment is related to Kate?”

“No,” Jag said before Odie could answer.

“It’s all right,” Luis said, catching on. “I understand the way these things operate.”

“I didn’t get a chance to see everything that was in the package,” Odie said despite Jag’s presence. “Just a picture of a man TES is investigating.”

“Odie, that’s enough.”

“What do you mean you didn’t get a chance?” Luis asked.

She ignored Jag’s rising temper. “Someone tried to kill me.”

“What—”

“A man broke into my house. He was after the package.” She told him about her kidnapping and what had followed.

“Where is the package? Do you have it?”

“No. It burned with my truck.”

“My Lord. Are you sure you’re all right?” He gestured to the mark on her cheek. “I was wondering where you got that.”

“I’m fine. Jag rescued me in the nick of time.” She sent Jag an exaggerated glance. “Hero that he is.”

He cocked his head in annoyance.

“Who was in the picture?” Luis asked.

Jag turned to him. “We can’t tell you that.”

Odie narrowed her eyes at him, but he didn’t acknowledge her. She faced Luis. “When’s the last time you talked to Kate?”